Cleaning machine



Jan-, a, 1928. O, W. BRANTLEY ET AL CLEANING MACHINE J M M n` u 7 v 0 S N f n f i. .m VW s W T 3 5 \Q\1 m -i n -------azi l ,.,V 1 Il 2 I w n In. M W $1 m m.\\ n .J Il l NN n/\ s f "o M i fe ,l 2 M- J-- s..- L.. w www n e Q.. U- I.. x l l LU. o n l o ...v wk A m\ .4% &\\ wh. w @www www mw, QN wm NS l mm. Nw. mn@ @Nw um nu* w Jan. 3, 1928.y

o. w. BRANTLEY ET-AL CLEANING MACHINE Filed March 21, 1925 S-SheetS-Sheet 5 n. a W L 2 l 71 ,c/Q n.. 00 O0 000000 oo Aoo o oowooo Q@ @o @QQ e@ Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNI/reo .STATES j PATENT fofFfFice..A

OLIVER WiEsoN BRANTLEY, OE JACKSON in'iroii'rs, AND WARNER MOREL BRANTLEY,

l'or YORK, N. Y., -AssrGNoRs To CAREFUL CARPET CLEANING COMPANY, 1N-

CoRroRATEn, OETNEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 'OE NEW'YORK.

CLEANING MACHINE;

Application led March 2 1,v 1925. Serial No. 17,7168.

chines particularly 'adapted Ato be used in 'the cleaning of rugs, carpets and the like, although not restricted to such use. An import'antobject of the invention is to 'provide a generally improved machine vvof the character mentioned so designed as 'to 'function as a means for efitpeditiously and 'effectively cleaning the? articles'subjected to 1U treatment at the eX'pense of a minimum'det- I riinental'ei'liect upon the articles and with the expenditure 'of minimum manual labor.

Other objects and certain yad'vznita'ges of 'the invention will become apparent fromthe followingl description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in ivhiehef t A Figure l is a side 'elevation of a machine embodying our invention.

Figure /2 is a plan view of the machine. Figure 3 is a vdetail View in velevation-of 'a control mechanism.

Figure 4- is a 'View taken at rightfangles to the control mechanism as viewed from the right in Figure 3, certain elements ibe- V-ing` broken away.

Figure 5 is a detailed section-al view show- Y -i-n'g a frag-mental portion of thel conveyor and guide or vsiipportirg means therefor.

Figure 6 is a fragmental view, in plan, of Va portion of the conveyor showing certain linlr and roller constructions.

Figure 7 is a view, more or less 'diagrani- 'al clean-ing fluid supply and matic, showing controlV mechanism,

ure 7, showing a water'supply and control mechanism.

ln the drawings wherein foi` the purpose consider the preferred forni of our/invention, the numeralI 5 indicates a suitable This invention relates to 'cleaning mafydisposed slats 17.

Figure 8 is a- View, similar to that of F igof illustration is shown what we at present Vother power plant, not shown, adapted `for o. y 1,654,635A

The sprockets' 11 and 12 are adapted to4 'carry an endless conveyor 16 'which islmoved, during the operation of the machine,v in the direction of the arrow A shown in Figure 1 and comprises a'plurality of transversely These v slats are spaced an appreciable distance from eachother and are. each provided rwfth' a plurality offpe'rforations 1 8, the presence of which facilitates penetration anddraina'ge of'ce'rtain liquids to which the varticles are subjected in` ('ile'aii-vV ing. y irons or 'brackets 19, carrying links 20 which To the sla-ts '1'7 are `connectedangle are connected together by means of pins 21 rollers not jo'nlyt'endto reduce friction be'- tween `the conveyor Vlol and the 'sprockets v 1l Y and l2 during thejoperation of the machine,

i but they also function 'si-mil'arlyin coniiec-.

tion i'ithguidefrails'or supports 23 suitably secured tothefraine 5; The guiderails or supports, it :will be noted, are disposed in fa horizontal 'plane 'directly beneath the upper reach of the conveyor and are turned down at their forward ends, as shown most clearly in Figure l, to provide inclined lips 24C for facilitating progressive lifting vand entering of the rollers 22 into the grooves 25 'afforded intermediate the upstanding flanges 26 of the guide `rails.' By reason of the fact that the guide rails23 are 'so arranged that the j rollers 22 travel progressively there'ovei' dui'- ingtlie'operation `ofthe machine, the upper i faces 'of Vthe slatsv 11'? v'carried by the upper reach of the conveyor are at all times maintained in a 'con'imon horizontal plane during rvsuch travel and `cons'eqreiitly a' uniformly rlatsui'face or 'support is proif'icledv for the rug or other similar article 27 as Yit'pas's'es thi'ough the machine from the feeding vtable 2S fn the `direction/of tliejairow A shown in F ig'ure ll. l f j More 'or less remotely to tli'e'feeding table 28 is arranged `Water, `delivery'and control 'mechanism 28 comprising spray pipes 29 'and 30, ccinnecte'd to a common supply pipe 3l which in tui-nis adapted to be connected Vto a suitable source ot'jwatei" sup,ply,`not shown, The vspray pipes '29 "and 30 are ii et.

vthe valves as desired.

In proximity `to the spray pipes 29 and 30 there is arranged a compression roller. 86 adapted to engage the car-pet or other article 'Q7 and exert asutncient pressure thereupon to squeeze or drive out' the greater portion of water previously supplied thereto by the' pipes QJand 30. This compression roller is journaled in vertically movablebearings 37 mounted upon guide rods 38 suitably connected to the iframe 5. In order to vary the `pressure exerted by the roller 86 upon the 'carpet or other article 27 we have provided a pair ot compression springs, one of which is indicated by the numeral 89. The lower ends of these springs engage the movable bearines 37, whereas the upperends engage 'vertically adjustable compression screws 4() provided, .at their upper ends, with hand wheels 4l and having screw-threaded connection withyoke plates 42 connected to the guide rods 38. The compression screws are 'provided with sprockets4 48 which are connected together by an endless chain 44. By reason ot the operative connection thus afforded between the compression screws 40,

simultaneous and luniform adjustments may be made upon the springs 39 from either side of the machine, the sprines being' placed under greater conn'iression when the hand wheels 4l are turned in one direction and under less compression when the hand wheels are operated in an opposite direction.

immediately :following the compression roller 36 there is arranged a spraying device, indicated by Athe numeral 45. This device comprises two pipe sections 4G and 47, each otjwhich is connected to a common supply pipe 48 through which a soap vsolution or other cleansing fluid may be delivered. The delivery ott' iiuid Vto the pipe sections may be controlled independently bymeans of valves 48 and 49 arranged intermediate the pipe sections and the-supply pipe48. To

these valves are connected control rods 50 and 5l, respectively, each ot which' is oit such a length as to enable its respective valve to be operated by an attendant located at one side oi" the machine. p A

Following the spraying device 45 there is located a scrubbing mechanism indicated, as a whole, by the numeral 52. This scrubbing` mechanism comprises a transversely disposed shaft 53 suitably journaled to the traine 5 by' means of bearings 54. To the shaft 53 is connected a pair of rocker arms 55, to the opposite ends of which are journaled scrubbingbrushes 58 and 57 operatively connected to independent motors 58 and`59, re-

spectively, carried by one ofthe lrocker arms and adapted to move bodily therewith. The brushes 56 and 57 are provided with guards or sheaths 60 and are adapted toV rotate in the direction of the arrows C andD. f Suitably suppoited'with respect to the trame 5 is a stationary starting box y6l provided interiorly with anyy appropriate type ot' Velectrical switch,l not shown, from which project, through the walls oi' the box, a pair of arms 62 and 68,Y `lhese arms are respectively connected tothe brush housings 60 by means ot springs 64 and 65.

The operation ot the motors 58 and 5.9, and consequently the operation et the brushes 56 and 57, is controlled means ot a control mechanism indicated by'the numeral '68.

an operating lever G8 and a pair of crank levers. 69 and70, to the Yformer ot which is linked an operating rod 7l carrying at its with groups ot notches 77 and 78, between which is formed an intermediate.notch 79. nto these notches is adapted to 'itv a locking dog 80 jwhicli maybe controlled by meansof aa release rod 81 carried by the This control' mechanism com prises a rock shaft467 to which is connected upper end of the operating lever-68 in order to permit the' same kto be moved fromone position to another upon the segment l76.

To thelever 70 there is pivotally connected.

Va link 82 which in turn is pivotally connected to an arm 83. rl`his arm isgournaled lupon a boss 84, carried bythe iframe i 5, and is provided with afweight 85which is ada ated to be ad 'usted longitudinally oil l s the arm 88 and locked in any desired position thereon by means oit a thumb screw 8G,

4the function ot the Y *eight being, as it passes Y vertical dead-center, to facilitate suclr'niovement ot' the lever (S8 as will insure one or the other of the brushes 'being` brought intor proper relation tothe carpet or other article being cleaned.

.ln an'advanc -\d position with respect to the brush 57 there is arranged a second conipression roller 87 which is raibstantially identical with the compression roller. The roller 87, like the roller 88, is journaled at opposite' ends within vertically movable bearings 88 mounted uponrcrtically disposed guide rods 89, the upper ends of which aie connected together by mea ot yoke plates 90. To the yoke plates are screwthreaded a pair oi? adjusting;v screws 91, the lower ends ot which engage compression springs 92 seated upon the bearinfef'sy 88. These compression springs may be simultaneously compressed or releasedby yreason lili? actionfolfthe brushes56 and 57, respectively.v

1 ,fers/meals vof the fact that when one `of the screr-.vs 91 is turned the other is likewise `turned inasmuch as the two shafts are connected tovgether lby means of a sprocketychain 93 co- ,Operating with sprockets 94 carried by the respective shafts.

` The pressure roller 87 functions as a means for removing -or -eXtruding the maior Iportion of the soap :water previously suplyied "to the carnet. v)rior to the scrubbinfr P l l s In order, however, to 'rinse the article undergoin treatment and thus remove the re- -maining'soap Water, We have provided a rinsing vdevice identical 'with that disclosed :in Figure 8, the two spray pipes 29v and 30l ,f being so arranoed as Eto ldeliver to the car iet passed. .rollers hereinbcfore described, is gonrnaled `inra pair ofvertically adjustable bearings 97 or vrother `article being` cleansed la .sufficient quantity-of Water to effect 'thorough rinsing.-

: In order to Yremove the rinsing Water, apfplied'subsequentto 'the action of the pressure-roller 87, We yhave provided a pair of squeeze rollers 95=arid 96, between Which the .cargpet-vor other article being ycleaned* is TheV yroller 95, like the pressure vmounted upon upstanding guide rods 98,

,which are connected togetherby means of yoke plates 99. In order to .urge the roller 95 toward and into engagement, normally, with fthe stationary rollerV 96, We employ compression springs 100ident-ica-l with those hereinbefore described in connectionV With the compression rollers 36 andf87, the compresfsionfs-,pr-ings 100 beingmounted upon the movable lbearings 97 :and maintained in er1- v,ga'ge'ment withl the lower ends of adjusting screwsl01'which are screw-'threaded to the `yokeplates99. rThese adjustingscreivs, likethe adjusting screws and 91, are connectved together bymeans cfa-sprocket chain 102 passing *'over sprockets 103 'whereby simultaneous adjustment ofthe springs 100'm'ay e he 'effected from either side of ther machine to vary the pressure exerted 'by the roller '95. As a vmeans for freeing'the carpet, or other r*article being cleaned., from thev conveyor 16 subsequent to its being acted upon by the compression roller 87 and :to further insure .delivery of the carpet or other article tothe compression rollers 95 and 96, We have pro- `vided a vplurality of rotary `li'tting brushes 104 which are carried by a transversely disposed slraft V105 f suitably journ'aled to Vthe frame and operatively yconnected -to the roller 96 by means of'a ysprocket lchain 106 passing over sprockets 107 and 108 vconnected rcspectivelytofthe shafts 105 and the roller 96, the connection vbeing such as to rotate the brushes 104 in the direction ofthe fari-ow E. shown in' Figure 1.. vIntermediate the lifting brushes 104;'and the roller 96 is arranged fa transversely disposed shaft 109 carrying a. plurality of drums 'which serve asigu'ides or supports for the carpet after it has 'been 'lifted from the coi'iveyor 16 and While it is being ldirected intothe rollers 95 rand 96.

l-nasmueh as the compression rollers 3 Yand 87 bear directly uopn the uppervspan of the conveyor 16' yit is necessary to 'rotate these rollers in `the direction of the arrows F and G shown in Figure 1 and at a 'peripheral speed corresponding to the linear speed of the conveyor, and since the roller 95 is adaptedftorenga'ge and act upon the car-v `pet 7in some instances prior to its vbeing re-l leased from the roller 87 it is-neces'sa'ry to rotate the rol-ler 95 at a peripheralspeed corresponding to theklinear speed of the con# veyor. The proper speed 'of rotation v-of the roller-,95 may ybe obtained by suitably -connecting lits associated gear 111 by any suitable meansy such as Iay vtrain lof gears, not shovvmto the shaft 13', for example, the connection being such'as to cause 'the' roller 95 'to rotate in the direction of the arrow rH.

vBy the system of gearing herein shown "as ksprockets 4115. f

' In the event a rug. is turnedor curled up more orless at the end thereof when it is first introduced -into the machine 4difficulty* y might 'beexperienced in feeding the Vrug to the roller 36, butr inorder to overcome such vdifliculty'ive have provi-ded means for temporarily'lifting the roller 36 tov permit the ruig tollbe readily started in its travel 'therei under.y The vmeans for lifting the roller under suchcircumstances comprises a transversely ldisposed rock shaft 116 jo'urnaled to the frame 5 and provided atV opposite 'ends with :pairs of fingers 117 upon which the bearings', in 'which the roller 36 is j'ournaled,

normally seat.I This rock shaft 116 is pro` vided at 'one 'end Wit-h an operating lever 118 which, When moved in the proper direction, will kcause the fingers 117 to simultaneously Vmove the hearings 37 upwardlyfupon the guides l38 and cause a corresponding'elevation Aof the roller '36, After 'the curled or upturned lend of thefrughas passed under the roller 36 the sainemay ybe then lowered to its normal posi-tion. The upturned end of `the rug may be straightenedout bythe action ofthe scrubbing brush 56. 'but if it should fail to become sofstraightened the roller 87 upon being reached may be elevated ybya secon-dlifting means substantially iden tical with the means hereinbefore desc-ribed vfor lifting the roller 36.

Due'tovthe. extreme weight ofthe con- *table 28 and are fed onto the conveyor 16,

traveling in the direction of the arrovv A. As the rug passes under the pipes 29 and 30 it is subjected to a spray of Water which initially `ivets the rug so that a subsequent spray of' cleansing fluid may readily penetrate the same. The rug in passing on Jthrough the machine is subjected to the action ofthe compression roller 36 and as it emerges from underthisi-oller it is subjected `to a spray of cleansing fluid, such as soap Water, delivered by the spraying device 45. The rug after havingbeen subjected to the cleansingk fluid is subjected to a scrubbing action by the scrubbing brush 56 rotating j in the directionof the arrow C shown in Figure 1, and thereafter passes onfunder .the scrubbing brush 57 While the saine is maintained in an elevated position as shown .in Figure 1.- After the rug has started under the pressure roller 87, the control mechanism 66 isV so actuated, by moving the control lever 68 into position over one of the notches 78, as to cause the rock shaft 53 to v partially rotate Within its bearings thus lowering the scrubbing brush 57 into contact with the rug and at the same time lifting the scrubbing brush 56 out of contact therewith. As the brush 56 is lifted and the brushv 57 is lowered the tension of the spring 64. is released and the spring 65 is placed vunder tension, whereupon the arm 63 of a suitable snap sivitch mechanism, not shown, is so moved as to operate the switch, thereby opening the circuit through the vmotor 58 and closing the circuit through'the motor 59. The remaining or uncleaned porti-onof carpet or rug is then subjected to the scrubbing action of the brush 57 rotating in 'the direction of the arrow D, and as the rug continues in its iuovei'nent through the machine it is progressively subjected to thel action of the roller 87 and is there-by relieved of the dirty cleansing fluid. The rug upon reaching the lifting brushes 104.- is transferred over the guide rollers 110 to the compression rollers 95 and 96, it being inV its transfer from the conveyor 16 to the final compression rollers subjected to a spray of rinsing fluid, such as clear Water. The Water thus applied dissolves any excess dirty cleansing fluid which may have remained in the rug, and` as the rug progresses through the compression rollers 95 and 96 the major portion of cleansing Water is squeezed out andv the rug emerges in a moist but not dripping condition. v Q

If it is desired to discontinue the Aoperation of the machine, in so far as theniotors 56 and are concerned, the operating lever 68 may be moved to itsne-utral position'shovvn in Figure 3 in which position the motor circuits are maintained open. lU'pon'moving the operating lever 68 to the right, as viewed in Figure 8 preparatory to another operation, identical With that previously Ydescribed, the tension in the kspring 65 is relieved, thus permitting the arm 63 to'move Vup and the arm 62 to move down under-the influence of the tension set up Within the spring 64; as a result of which movements the circuit throught-he motor 58 'is closed.

"it will be noted from the constructionl of trie control mechanism 66, details ofl which leveil 68 is moved to the right the-spring 73 is placed under compression thus l'forcing l `the brush 56 into intimate contact'With the lf A'the carpet undergoing carpet or rug. treatment happens to be an old one having its nap or pile so Worn 'at intervals as to ating upon the carpet or rug. Thus it Wilibe appreciated that the springs 72 'and 73 function vas an effective means foir'main-` taining the brushes 57 and '56 respectively in uniformly intimate engagement With the article undergoing treatment. y

The machine herein shown is of such proportions asxto receive and operate upon rela-V tively vvide rugs, in which case both thev water pipes 29 and 30 vas Well as both of the pipe sections 46 and 47 may be employed, but in the event only relatively narrow rugs are to be cleansed and they are to be runV through the machine progressively in a sin#v gie row only half of the available'fluid lsupplied need be employed. The-control of the Water supplyV and cleansing` solution may, therefore, vbe controlled accordingly'as will be readilyv appreciatedfrom what. has been said in connection4 with thedis'closures, of

-the cleansing agent supply andV Water supply mechanisms shoWn respectively in Figures7and8. I

While We have shown and 'described what We at present consider the preferredA embodiment of our invention, it vvill becomeapparent Lthat various modiiications may be made in many respects Without departing from the spirit of the invention as de nod in the claims hereto appended-- ,so v

T are shoivn `in Figures 3 ande, that when the IVe claim:

l.V In a cleaning machine, aV conveyor adapted to carry article-s to be cleaned, 1'ot-atable scrubbing brushes located above'said conveyor and adapted to act upon the articles supported thereby, means for moving one of said brushes out of contact with Vthearticle so supported and for simu'lt-aneously moving the other of said brushes into Contact With the article so supported, independently operated means for rotating said brushes, and

' means cooperating With the first named means for' stopping the rotation of one of said brushes upon movement of thesame out of contact With the article and for starting the operation of the other of said brushes when moving the same Vinto contact with said article.

2. In a cleaning machine, a conveyor adapted to carry articles to be cleaned, scrubbing brushes adapted to act upon the articles carried by said conveyor, means for moving one of said brushesout of contact with the articles and for simultaneously moving the other of said brushes into contact With the article, independently operable eflectric motors for actuating said brushes independently of each other, and means for closing the circuit through one of said motors upon moving one of said brushes into contact With the article andy for opening the circuit through the-other Y of said motors upon movement of the other of said brushes out of contact with the article.

3. In a cleaning machine, a conveyor adapted to carry articles to be cleaned, scrubbing brushes adaptedto act upon the articles car ried by said conveyor, means for moving said brushes alternately into and out of contact with the articles to be cleaned, means for supplying a cleansing fluid to the articles prior to their being acted upon by said brushes, means for supplying a cleansing l fluid to said articles subsequent to their being acted upon by said brushes, compression rollers to which the articles are delivered subsequent to the application ofv the second named cleansing fluid, and a rotary brush for facilitating remov'a'l of the articles from the conveyor and for facilitating delivery thereof to said compression rollers.

5) 4. In a cleaning machine aV conveyorV brushes, said rollers being normally in contact. With said conveyor, means associated with each of said rollers for lifting the same out of Contact With said conveyor, means for supplying a cleaning yfiuid to the articles'` prior to their being acted upon by said brushes, and compression means to Which said articles are-subjected subsequent to their passage underthe second named ro'ller.

In testimony whereof, We have affixed our lsignatures to this specification.

OLIVER WiLsoN BRANTLEY. WARNER MOREL BRANTLEY. 

